Eastern Water Dragon

Tail

Side-to-side movement of its muscular tail propels this lizard through the water.

Legs

When swimming, the Water Dragon tucks its limbs close to its body, creating a streamlined form.

Teeth

Most lizards lose and replace teeth throughout life, but the teeth of Water Dragons and their relatives are permanent and are fused to their jaws. This gives these animals a precise bite, more like that of mammals than of other squamates.

Crest

The crest and spines are larger in males than in females. Bigger spines make the body look larger from the side and may help males attract mates.

Heart

The heart of this lizard beats very, very slowly while the animal is submerged, hiding from predators. This means the lizard needs less oxygen, which is why it can stay under water so long.

Meet the Family

The large family to which the Water Dragon belongs--Agamidae--is a group of 420 species sometimes called the chisel-toothed lizards. Unlike human teeth, "chisel teeth" are fused to the jawbones and may last a lifetime. Chisel teeth appear in 80-million-year-old Mongolian fossil lizards.